AI, GDPR and blockchain: What you need to know from Cannes Lions

Cannes Lions 2018 delivered on its promise to celebrate creativity and highlight challenges across the advertising industry.

The conversations were full of energy and the excitement for the future was palpable.

As always, topics for discussion were broad, including key subjects that have the potential to profoundly impact the industry.

As I reflect on the week, a handful stand out:

Blockchain, blockchain, blockchain (this is a good thing)

Blockchain was the source of many heated conversations in the south of France this year. While there are critics, what stood out to me is the growth of the conversation surrounding the technology. 

We strongly believe that we’re at the cusp of solving transparency issues with programmatic media buying with blockchain.

The marketing world has put up with a fractured supply chain for so long because there hasn’t been a good alternative. Blockchain networks unlock the potential to solve this problem and usher in a clean programmatic supply chain that the industry deserves.

It will be interesting to see the conversation evolve even further next year from discussing the possibilities to reflecting on results.

Searching for the balance between human connections and artificial intelligence

There are many things we can do with AI, but it doesn’t mean we should.

On a Wall Street Journal panel, Bob Rupczynski, Global Vice President/Media at McDonald's encouraged the industry to put the consumer at the center of all experiences, making sure we serve their interests, otherwise they’ll leave for competitors.

GDPR has emphasized the privacy versus convenience conflict

Consumers increasingly demand personalized experiences, yet also want digital privacy rights.

CMOs must continue to find ways to balance data-driven customized experiences while protecting user privacy. Mark Mathieu, CMO of Samsung, offered a good barometer for beneficial experiences by encouraging us to “ask ourselves, would we do this for our children?”

The meaning of the word “partner” has evolved, and means more than ever

CMOs increasingly need to project manage resources across many partners, work agile and effectively, and allocate budget to get the best outcomes.

They need a partner who can sit at the same side of the table and collaborate in a long-term trusted relationship.

For some time now, we’ve seen a need for CMOs to grow their skillsets beyond marketing capabilities.

A recent CMO study highlighted what today’s modern CMO looks like and found that most CMOs anticipate a transition from being product-led to experience-led.

Of all C-suite roles, the CMO is closest to the customer’s needs and desires, and more than 70 percent of CMOs report their ability to lead organizational growth and change is now essential to their professional success. It’s unsurprising that the CMO would be a hot topic at Cannes but none-the-less interesting to hear directly from so many in the role today.

In short, I’m inspired!

I can’t wait to continue working with our partners to make the most of these opportunities and continue these conversations until we meet again in the French Riviera.

By Matthew Candy, Global Leader, IBM iX